Keeper for the bolts of latches and the like



Oct. 3, 1 939.

A. F. LICKTEIG 2,174,987

KEEPER FOR THE BOLTS OF LATCHES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 20, 1937 a. unMW .zs c i .5. .19

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J% JM/ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 3, 1939 KEEPER FOR THE BOLTS OF LATCHES AND THE LIKEAlbert F. Lickteig, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Grand Rapids BrassCompany, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan ApplicationDecember 20, 1937, Serial No. 180,775

6 Claims. (Cl. 292340) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The present inventionrelates to keepers for the bolts of latchesadapted to be applied torefrigerators and the like; and its object is, generally, to providesuch a keeper improved in respects hereinafter appearing; and moreparticularly, to provide such a keeper having an improved memberWherewith the latch bolt operatively engages, said member beingadjustable inwardly-outwardly of the refrigerator to which it isapplied; and further, to provide improved means for thus adjustpearingare attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, theillustrative keeper particularly described in the body of thisspecification and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an elevational front view of a latch structure comprising alatch casing and a keeper for the latch bolt, mounted respectively onthe swingable closure for a refrigerators door opening and on the jambportion of the refrigerator;

Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the keeper taken on line 3--3 of Figures2 and 4;

Figure 4 is an inner or rear side view of the keeper, its movable memberbeing shown adjusted inwardly from its position seen in Figure 2.

Owing to inaccuracies of construction or to relative deforming of therefrigerator body and its closure due to the expansion or contractionthereof arising from the action of heat and moisture, etc., the mutuallyengaging portions of the latch bolt and its keeper are sometimes foundto be out of that mutual registration in which the same cooperate toproperly hold the closure shut. It is the object of this invention toobviate this condition by providing the adjustable keeper illustratedand described herein.

In the structure illustrated by the drawing, my improved keeper orstrike designated generally l is shown mounted as by screws 2 on theface of ll engaging in a notch bearing l2 in the side of the bolt. Anyother suitable type of latch structure as, for instance, one having apivotally mounted latch bolt, or a bolt movable by means other than apivotally mounted operating handle, etc. may be employed with myimproved keeper illustrated by the drawing.

This keeper comprises relatively movable members, the body member l3 onthe refrigerators jamb and the member l4 having the hook portion l5 withwhich the forward end l6 of the latch bolt operatively engages.

The body member has an outwardly extending hollow portion or post I!open rearwardly (toward the closure) and having spaced sides 18 providedwith grooves forming slide bearings [9 extending inwardly-outwardly, i.e., toward and from the jamb. The other member I4 is movableinwardly-outwardly in the hollow body member, and has an opening 20split at El to provide said members arms 22. These arms have paralleloutward extensions 23 united at 24 whose lateral edges 25 slidably bearin the body members bearings respectively.

A screw '26 journalled at 2.1 in the outer end of the post portion I1and threaded in said opening 20 of member l4 may be turned to move thismember to a desired adjusted position inwardly (toward the jamb) oroutwardly (therefrom) and to hold said member M in such adjustedposition.

Means are shown for holding, or holding additionally to the screw 26,the member M in adjusted positions. The particular means for thispurpose is the conical screw 28 between, and threaded at 29 in, the arms22 at the opposite sides of this screw. When this screw is turnedinwardly these arms are pressed or sprung apart slightly, butsufficiently to cause their edges 25 to tightly bind in the bodymember's bearings l9 respectively and thus securely hold member H in theposition in which it has been adjusted. A bar 3!! slidable in a bearing3| in the post portion of the body member and in a registering annulargroove 32 in the screw 26 holds this screw in its journal 21.

It will be seen that whenever the latch bolt 6 and the keepers hookportion l5 are found to be out of such relative registration that theclosure is not held in properly closed position, the keepers member l4may be moved to, and held in, that adjusted position which will ensureor restore the desired shut position of the closure.

A resilient packing member 33 is shown between the jamb and closure forsealing the same in its closed position.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not tobe limited to or by details of construction and arrangement of theparticular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawing or hereinbeforedescribed.

I claim:

1. A keeper for a latch bolt and the like, comprising: a body memberhaving inwardly-outwardly extending bearings parallelly disposed; amember wherewith the latch bolt is adapted to operatively engage,movable in said bearings; means in non-engaging relation with the bodymember, for releasably holding the movable member in adjusted movedpositions in said bearings.

2. A keeper for a latch bolt and the like, comprising: a body memberhaving an outwardly extending post portion provided withinwardlyoutwardly extending bearings parallelly disposed; a memberwherewith the latch bolt is adapted to operatively engage, having armsmovable in said bearings respectively; means in non-engaging relationwith the body member,- for pressing the arms into held relation with thebearings respectively to hold the second mentioned member in adjustedpositions.

3. A keeper for a latch bolt and the like, comprising: a body memberhaving an outwardly extending portion provided with inwardly-outwardlyextending bearings parallelly disposed; a mem- 7 ber wherewith the latchbolt is adapted to operatively engage, having arms slidable in saidbearings respectively; a conical screw in non-engaging relation with thebody member, between and threaded in the arms for pressing the armsapart into held relation with the bearings respectively to hold thesecond mentioned member in adjusted slid positions.

4. A keeper for a latch bolt and the like, comprising: a hollowoutwardly extending body member having spaced opposite sides providedrespectively with inwardly-outwardly extending bearings parallellydisposed; a member wherewith the latch bolt is adapted to operativelyengage between said sides of the body member, movable inwardly-outwardlyin said hollow body member and having an opening split to provide a pairof arms relatively movable laterally; a screw journalled in one of saidmembers and threaded in said opening for moving the second member intoadjusted relation with the bearings; and means for pressing the armsapart into held relation with the bearings respectively to additionallyhold the second mentioned member in such adjusted positions.

5. A keeper for a latch bolt and the like, comprising: a hollowoutwardly extending body member having spaced opposite sides providedrespectively with inwardly-outwardly extending bearings parallellydisposed; a member wherewith the latch bolt is adapted to operativelyengage between said sides of the body member, movable inwardly-outwardlyin said hollow body member and having an opening split to provide a pairof arms relatively movable laterally; a screw journalled in one of saidmembers and threaded in said opening for moving the second member intoadjusted relation with the bearings; and a conical screw between andthreaded in the arms for pressing the arms apart into held relation withthe bearings respectively for additionally holding the second mentionedmember in such adjusted positions.

6. In a latch adapted to be mounted on the door of a refrigerator or thelike having a door jamb, a keeper for the latch bolt comprising: a bodymember mounted on the door jamb having an outwardly extending portionprovided with inwardly-outwardly extending bearings parallelly disposed;a member wherewith the latch bolt is adapted to operatively engage,having arms slidable in said bearings respectively; a conical screwbetween and threaded in the arms for pressing the arms apart into heldrelation with the bearings respectively to hold the second mentionedmember in adjusted slid position, the screw extending axially toward thedoor in its closed position and having turning means at its end which isadjacent the door and inaccessible in said position thereof.

ALBERT F. LICKTEIG.

